Perfect Match
by Riana Mustang
Summary: 1st in my First Apprentice series...better summary inside...please r&r...all flames shall be cheerfully ignored...


Perfect Match  
by: Celestia Vitaria  
Disclaimer: I don't own George Lucas' characters. Master Bren belongs to whoever created her, so i apologize if i screw up her character. Celestia, Lianna, Baan t'il, Lily, and Xanatos belong to me, (and no, that's not the same Xanatos from the Jedi Apprentice series.) as does Bren's apprentice Aidan. So please no body sue me. I have no money or anything of true value...  
Other: this is the first story in my First Apprentice series. more to come soon...(as soon as i get around to writing it, that is...LOL) please review, but no flames please.  
Summary: When Qui-Gon returns to the Jedi Temple from a dangerous mission, he encounters Bren, who convinces him to accompany her to the Choosing Day competition. When he arrives, he feels the Force guiding him to a young girl named Celestia Vitaria...  
  
  
Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn had just returned from a dangerous mission on Kiva and was hoping for a little time to relax. He was just about to enter his apartment when he saw Master Bren approaching him. He paused, waiting for her to join him.  
  
"Hey, Stretch," she said when she joined him.  
  
"Hello, Bren," he replied tiredly.  
  
"How was your mission?" she asked.  
  
Qui-Gon sighed. "Exhausting," he answered.  
  
Bren smiled at him sympathetically, a mischievous gleam in her eyes. "Aww, I'm sorry. What do you say I come by later and you can tell me about it?" she asked.  
  
"I'd like that," Qui-Gon said.  
  
Bren nodded. "Good, but come on. Some of the initiates are doing their final trials to be chosen as Padawans. Who knows, you might even find one," she said, taking his arm and leading him away from his apartment.  
  
Qui-Gon gave her a startled look, caught off guard by her statement for a moment. But then realization struck him and he pulled back, freeing his arm from her grip. "Bren, you know I don't want to take on a Padawan right now," he protested.  
  
But Bren was having none of it. She turned back towards him and gave him her patented "sweet-talking" look that she knew he couldn't resist. Qui-Gon remained stoic, though, standing his ground on the issue. For the moment, anyway.  
  
"Oh, come on, Stretch. You could be the last hope for one of them," she said sweetly.  
  
"And what about you, Bren? Were you planning on taking a Padawan as well?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow at her just a bit skeptically.  
She nodded again. "I was considering it, yes," she answered.  
  
Qui-Gon sighed, shaking his head and staring at her in shocked amazement. He knew when he'd been beaten. He closed his eyes for a moment, putting a hand to his forehead in a gesture of slight exasperation, then glanced back at Bren. She merely stood there, looking at him innocently as if she had not just totally outmaneuvered him.  
  
"All right," he said at last.  
  
Bren grinned. "I knew you'd come around. Come on, the competitions are about to start," she said, once again pulling him towards the sparring rooms.  
**********************************************************************************************  
  
When they reached the sparring room, they saw that several other Masters had already gathered there, as well as about twenty or thirty hopeful young initiates. Some practiced sparring before the match, others were scattered throughout the room in small groups, talking quietly amongst themselves. Bren and Qui-Gon sat down in the bleachers and looked on, waiting for the match to begin.  
  
One group of initiates in particular caught Qui-Gon's attention. It was a group of about five initiates, and it seemed that one of them kept glancing shyly in his direction, a sparkle of awe evident in her pretty lavender eyes. They were standing just close enough that the Jedi Master was able to overhear parts of their conversation without even meaning to do so.  
  
"Wow, look. Isn't that Master Qui-Gon Jinn?" one girl asked, the one who had kept looking at him.  
  
Another girl shrugged. "I think so. I didn't know he was looking for a Padawan," she said, following her friend's gaze, then looking away just as quickly.  
  
"I heard he's the best swordsman in the order," remarked a Calamarian boy.  
  
"Yeah, I'd like to be his Padawan," another girl remarked almost dreamily.  
  
The other boy, a dark-haired human, rolled his green eyes at her, nudging her in the ribs playfully with his elbow. "Please, you know you're just saying that because you think he's handsome, Lianna," he teased, having read his friend's thoughts. The girl blushed, turning away from her companions for a moment.  
  
"Oh, let her be, Xanatos," the Calamarian boy, Baan t'il said.  
  
The first one that had spoken didn't answer, indeed she seemed not to even notice her friends' playful banter. She glanced over in Qui-Gon's direction again, and this time their eyes met for just an instant. But even in that brief instant, she felt a strange sensation pulling gently at her consciousness, almost as if this were no coincidence. Just then, she realized that her friend was speaking to her and she shook her head, snapping out of her reverie, and turned to face her.  
  
"Huh? I'm sorry. What were you saying? I just kind of zoned out there for a sec, that's all," she muttered, almost to herself.  
  
"Hey, Celestia! Wake up, the competition's about to start. Don't zone out like that when you're sparring, or you'll lose it for sure," her friend, Lily, commented, waving her hand in front of the other girl's face.  
  
"Yeah, sure," she mumbled.  
  
Lily let her hand drop and the Twi'lek girl stared at Celestia, the look on her face becoming one of concern. Her head-tails twitched as she lay her hand on her best friend's arm. "Are you ok?" she asked.  
  
Celestia was about to answer when she was interrupted as Master Yoda stood up and began to speak. She only half-listened as he explained the rules. After a few minutes of Yoda droning on, the initiates took their respective places in the bleachers, waiting for their opportunity to show off their skills to the gathered Jedi Masters.  
  
"First up will be Initiates Xanatos and Baan t'il," Mace Windu announced.  
  
Celestia paid no attention to the two boys sparring in front of her. She couldn't seem to concentrate right now. She was far too nervous, and that brief contact she'd had with Master Qui-Gon through a seemingly already forming bond hadn't really helped matters any. Trying to calm her raging nerves, she took several deep breaths, releasing her fears into the Force. She was so engrossed in her own attempt to calm down that she almost didn't hear Mace call her and her sparring partner's names. Quickly gathering her wits, she followed Lianna out onto the floor.  
  
Casting another glance towards the bleachers, she and Lianna bowed to each other and ignited their sabers. The low-powered blades hummed eerily in the silence for what seemed like an eternity to Celestia before Master Yoda gave them the signal to begin.  
  
Qui-Gon hadn't really been paying all that much attention to the competition, but as he watched the two girls sparring, a strange feeling came over him, almost like a bond was already starting to form between himself and the young girl. Was it possible that it was the will of the Force that he was here? Was he supposed to take this girl as his apprentice? He shook his head and turned to focus on the battle taking place before him.  
  
A few minutes later, the lavender-eyed girl, the one who her companion had called Celestia, emerged victorious. The two girls bowed to each other again, deactivating their sabers as the sound of applause broke out around them, then went back to where their friends waited for them.  
  
"That was great! You two are sure to be chosen," Baan t'il congratulated them as they sat down.  
  
"I hope so," Celestia said quietly, breathing hard from the exertion of the match and trying to calm her racing heart.  
  
"You three weren't so bad yourselves," Lianna said, and they all burst out laughing.  
The competition continued for about half an hour, and Celestia was becoming even more jittery as the time passed. Finally it was over and she found herself standing alone, wondering if any of the Masters would possibly be interested in taking her on as their Padawan Learner. Her other companions were already gone, having left only a few minutes ago with their new Masters.   
  
As the crowd started to thin out, she felt her hopes starting to fade. The only ones left in the room now besides her were a few of the Council Members, Qui-Gon, Bren, and one other initiate whom Bren had decided to take as her apprentice. She sighed as she moved to gather her things, and was about to leave when she felt a presence behind her.  
  
She turned and gasped as she realized that it was Qui-Gon who had approached her. ~Does he want me, or is he just trying to offer sympathy?~ she thought to herself dejectedly.  
  
Qui-Gon, obviously having sensed her distress, placed his hand gently upon her small shoulder. She flinched, but didn't pull away. She wouldn't look him in the eye, though. She couldn't. She was too afraid of what she would see there. ~Oh yeah. Here it comes, he's only going to tell me that he doesn't want an apprentice, but he's sorry that I wasn't chosen by someone else~ She squeezed her eyes shut tightly, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes.  
  
"What's wrong, little one?" Qui-Gon asked kindly, turning her around to face him.  
  
"Nothing, Master Qui-Gon," she whispered, wishing with every fiber of her being that he would just say whatever it was and get it over with so she could go cry alone. A single tear escaped her eye, despite her desperate attempt to conceal it, and he reached over and wiped it away, lifting her face to his so that they were eye to eye.  
  
"Why are you crying? You did a fantastic job out there. Most impressive. And I sense that the Force is very strong with you," he said kindly.  
  
"I...I'm not good enough to be chosen. Nobody wanted me. Will you excuse me, please, Master Qui-Gon?" she muttered miserably, just wanting to get away from everything right now.  
  
Qui-Gon looked startled. So that was what was bothering her. "I wouldn't say nobody, little one. I would be honored to take you as my Padawan, if you'd be willing to accept," he said, his stoic, leonine features softening just ever so slightly.  
  
Celestia looked up at him then, truly meeting his eyes for the first time since the competition had ended. For just a moment, she thought for sure she was dreaming. She couldn't believe it! Qui-Gon Jinn, famed Jedi Master and greatest swordsman in the Order, wanted her as his apprentice. A small smile slowly crept across her pale face, and she couldn't speak right away. She didn't trust her voice just yet.  
  
Finally she regained her composure and straightened herself to her full height, the happiness she felt reflected in her eyes as she nodded her agreement. "Yes, Master Jinn. I would be honored as well to be your apprentice," she said when she could find her voice again.  
  
Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw Master Bren wink at her, but then she dismissed the idea as she smiled slightly at her new Master. She quickly gathered her robe and wrapped it around her shoulders.  
  
"I'm ready now, Master," she said, a hint of pride seeping into her voice.  
  
"Come on, let's go home, Padawan," he said warmly, and together they walked out of the room side by side as Master and Apprentice.  
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Later, back in their new quarters, Celestia sat on her knees in front of a mirror in the hallway, gazing at her reflection in the smooth glass serenely as she waited for Qui-Gon. She closed her eyes, completely at peace for once in her life.  
  
When she opened her eyes again, she realized that Qui-Gon had returned and was watching her in the mirror. He held a small box in his hands, which he placed on the floor beside him as he knelt down on the soft carpet behind her.  
  
"For over twenty-five thousand years, the Jedi have protected peace and order in the galaxy. In many cases, it was the Jedi alone who have kept the forces of chaos and evil at bay. This is our duty, in exchange for the great powers and abilities granted to us through the will of the Force, to dedicate our lives, by a solemn vow, to serve the Republic and to live according to the values of our Order. To do otherwise is to endanger the galaxy with darkness," he began seriously. Celestia did not speak, but instead merely nodded in understanding.  
  
"Only the Jedi student who has not only the skill and ability to grow in power within the Force, but also the presence of mind and discipline of emotion to undergo further training, is chosen to be a Padawan Learner by a Knight or Master. The Master, in return, must dedicate a decade and a half of their lives to carefully developing the talents of their apprentice. Only by training a Knight individually do we keep those who would abuse the privilege and powers of a full Jedi from attaining the rank of Jedi Knight. Only by individual training, are the rough talents of a student honed into the grace and skill of a Knight. It is a part of our many traditions, which carry the weight of millennia behind them."  
  
At that, Qui-Gon lapsed into silence and reached for the box that he had brought out with him. When he opened it, Celestia saw that a pair of scissors and a long braid lay within. He reached out and removed the clip that held Celestia's hair up in a loose, half-bun and watched as the girl's hair fell down her back in long, luxurious waves of auburn fire. Celestia gave a little shake of her head to straighten her unruly curls. She watched in the mirror as Qui-Gon slowly gathered her beautiful locks in one hand as he lay her clip on the floor, and picked up the scissors, pausing for a minute to speak again.  
  
"When a human Master takes an apprentice, it is our tradition that the apprentice's hair be shorn by her new Master. It is a symbol of the apprentice's new life within the Order, of the solemn dedication of the apprentice to obey and serve her Master in all things. It is also a symbol of the Master's dedication to the training of the apprentice, until she rises to the level of Knight," he continued.  
  
He again lapsed into silence as he raised the scissors to her hair, slowly cutting it short, the sound of the blades slicing into it the only sound in the room. Celestia sat completely still, watching with interest as he finally released her hair and picked up the braid that lay in the box. ~That must be his old Padawan braid~ she thought to herself as Qui-Gon cut a piece of the braid and lay it on his knee. Then he gestured for her to turn towards him. She did so, and he gathered enough of her now-short hair to make the braid.  
  
Once he had braided her hair, he picked up the part of his own braid and held it up to hers, using the Force to fuse the strands together. Then he quickly braided that, and wrapped a thin band around it to hold it in place. She glanced down at it, then back up at Qui-Gon. He smiled at her and she again turned to face the mirror. He placed his hands lightly on her shoulders, finally breaking the silence in the room.   
  
"Human Padawans display their dedication to their training by keeping their hair shorn, free of all style and ornament, except for their braid, which is a symbol of their status as a Padawan Learner. Only when the Padawan becomes a Knight is the braid cut by her former Master." He let his voice trail off for a moment, moving his hands from her shoulders just long enough to place the scissors and the remainder of his own braid back into the box and to close it again. Then he gazed at her again, looking into the lavender eyes that were reflected in the mirror before them. "It shall be my pleasure to cut your braid when you become a Knight, my Padawan," he said quietly.  
  
Celestia stared at their images in the smooth glass for a long time, deeply touched by the confidence in his voice that she would pass her trials. ~Who will be my apprentice? Who will be the one to kneel in front of the mirror and recieve a part of the braid that I now wear so proudly? Who will be the one to whom I pass down this tradition?~ she thought to herself, allowing her thoughts to wander to the distant future.  
  
Just then, Qui-Gon spoke again, interrupting her thoughts. "We are all connected, Celestia. Not only through the will of the Force, but also through our dedication to learning and practice and living as tools of the Force's will. As my Master before me, so do I also give a part of myself to you as a living symbol of our bond to one another. My Padawan braid forms the beginning of yours as a symbol of continuity within the Force and also life within our Order," he said, unable to keep some of his own pride from seeping into his voice.  
  
He regarded her reflection silently in the mirror as she reached up and gently touched the braid that now hung just past her shoulder. Qui-Gon, having taken notice of this, smiled warmly and replied, "You are now my apprentice, little one."  
  
And Celestia, having been rendered completely speechless by all of this, merely smiled back at him as he again placed his hands on her shoulders, and leaned back further into the embrace and the comfort of their fledgling bond. The Master and Apprentice team were truly a perfect match.  
  
~*Fin*~  
  
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Well, what do you think of it? Love it? Hate it? Don't know what to think of it? Either way, leave a review and let me know. I'd really appreciate it. This is my first real attempt at a Star Wars fic, so please go easy on me...   
  
  
  
  
  



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